Skip Navigation

We compared the finances of 30-year-olds now, to 30-year-olds 30 years ago

www.abc.net.au We compared the finances of 30-year-olds now, to 30-year-olds 30 years ago

To understand why 30-somethings feel like they're struggling financially, the ABC analysed five factors β€” housing, healthcare, debt, tax, and income. The data reveals this generation is caught in an economic perfect storm.

We compared the finances of 30-year-olds now, to 30-year-olds 30 years ago

Feels bad man

29

You're viewing a single thread.

29 comments
  • So I just read this, having just turned 30 in February and my wife turning 30 in 3 weeks time; it is super depressing.

    We're not even doing that badly we think, we are paying off two houses live in one rent the other. I'm a qualified tradesmen for the last 9 years my wife is about to finish her apprenticeship after 4 years.

    We're struggling, we're not drowning I guess but fuck me we both work flat out 50 plus hours a week each and have no idea how we're going to have children, pay for them especially while one of us stays home to look after them.

    Obviously we're doing better then a lot but people should be able to have one home on a single wage and support a family.

    • Man I have issues with this. Your intentions are right and think you're in the right mind set with trying to sympathize with people, but you own TWO homes and complaining about not having cash. Sell one, don't be a landlord and start investing your money into one property. It's silly to me that you are two people earning money, with two homes financed, one if which is generating extra income, and are talking like you're single struggling to even find a place to live when everywhere is priced out, all because theres people with multiple houses trying to make a living off of the backs of others. I guarantee someone would love to own a first home let alone a second. Sell your second house start living within your means.

      Of course I don't know you, you could be renting it out to a group of homeless aids riddled children, but something tells me that's not the case. There is something that doesn't add up with your situation in why your struggling so much and you should re check your finances and spending habits.

      • We own two houses because we bought a house each before we were ever together to live in.

        The house we have rented out doesn't even cover the mortgage costs of the house. The problem is if it were sold today it's a 100k loss.

        I'm not saying we're on full on struggle street but two incomes should be heaps, instead it pays for just enough for a regular life.

        We should be in a way better position.

        • The problem is if it were sold today it’s a 100k loss.

          How does that work? House prices have been going up since forever. Even if you bought at the highest peak and sold at the lowest trough of the last 5 or 6 years (if not longer) I'd be surprised if you managed to lose money on a house.

          • Because one house is in the northern Territory and property prices fell out the arse after the gasplant build

          • It's a myth that house prices always go up. There are plenty of apartments in Melbourne CBD around $400k, which is what they cost ten years ago.

            Yes, nice big 4 bedroom two bathroom houses in nice suburbs have massively increased in value. But the bottom end hasn't moved nearly so much, because the buying power of the bottom end purchasers hasn't increased by that much.

        • I appreciate how much you both work. I've done 80-hour weeks before. I'm not confident you have a strong grasp of the poverty gap, but I'm sorry you have an immediate (albeit terminable) struggle due to prior investments that you had the agency to make.

      • Yeah, I'm sorry, I had to stop reading when I read that they own not just one but TWO homes. I saw red.

        Meanwhile, I'm relatively terrified that my retirement will be living in a cardboard box under a bridge after suffering from multiple strokes based on family history.

    • Yeah we're similar. We're 29/28, we own our house outright, and have 9 investment properties. But with interest rates what they are and the Mrs switching to part time work, we don't know how we're going to afford to buy our 10th investment property. We might have to compromise and make it an apartment 😭

      Our parents had it so much easier.

You've viewed 29 comments.